Prescription Drug Addiction

There is no shortage if information about illegal drugs and the devastation drug addiction and alcohol abuse can cause.  But not many people talk about prescription drug addiction.  After all, if you get the drugs from a doctor isn’t that OK?  Surely they must be safe?

The only time we seem to hear about prescription drug addiction is when someone famous, like Michael Jackson, overdoses and dies.

In fact, prescription drug abuse is a nationwide problem affecting every segment of society.

The National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information reported back in 2001 that approximately four million people aged twelve and up misuse prescription drugs. That was four times the amount it was in 1980 – a period of twenty years.  By 2006, in just five years, the figure was 16.2 million Americans – a four times increase yet again. We know this figure has increased because we’re seeing a startling increase in the number of people who come to us for prescription drug addiction

Prescription drug addiction accounts for roughly a third of all drug abuse problems in the United States.

For many years there were two types of prescription drugs most commonly abused: Opioids and Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants

Opioids are intended to control pain. The most common addictions we see are for Morphine, Codeine, OxyContin, Vicodin and Demerol.

2007 study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that almost three percent of eighth-grade students had used Vicodin for nonmedical purposes in the previous year. More than five percent of 12th-graders had abused OxyContin.

Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants are used to treat anxiety, tension, panic attacks, and sleep disorders. Examples: Valium and Xanax.

Now we see other types of drugs emerging as problems too. Students are “pharming” – taking prescription drugs from their parents medicine chest and either taking them or swapping them with other kids.  Stimulants such as Adderall and Ritalin are routinely being abused and even sold on the street.

If you, or someone you know and care about, is having trouble getting off prescription drugs, give us a call right away 808-550-0005 or toll free at 866-373-2809

Image Credit: Lee Nachtigal